Faiza Abdulla – 2008 Businesswoman of the Year finalists

Entrepreneur finalist: Faiza Abdulla, Owner/Executive Director, Kingsway Health Centre, The Kingsway Travel Clinic, The Kingsway Rejuvenation Centre, The Healthy Performer: Trained as a dental assistant and medical nurse, she and her doctor husband bought a small family medical practice in Toronto in 1994. Abdullah was the nurse, secretary and business manager, mother of a one-year-old, chief cook and bottle washer. Eventually, Abdullah realized she was performing too many roles so, out of necessity, she became a businesswoman. She hired more staff and doctors, and showed her doctor-husband how to work smarter, not harder. She grew the clinic to more than 10 employees, took more holidays, had more kids, moved to Ottawa in 2004, started another three practices (family medicine, walk-ins and a sports medicine facility), introduced an electronic medical system, fought cancer in their youngest child, began MBA studies multiple times, bought a family home, nursed her mother after her stroke, and sold two practices, all the while still happily married to the same man. She is presently balancing her responsibilities at the practice, while preparing to write her Travel Medicine Exam, raising three beautiful children and doing volunteer work for the Elmwood School Board, Make-A-Wish Foundation and others.

Photograph by: Michelle Valberg, for The Ottawa Citizen

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/2008%20businesswoman%20year%20finalists/1374773/story.html
http://www.womensbusinessnetwork.ca/media/awards/2008/Faiza_Abdulla.pdf
http://www.unitedwayottawa.ca/English/Take%20Action/Community%20Builders/CBAyear2009.php